


Good Morning, Darling

by bambooleaf



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25981171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bambooleaf/pseuds/bambooleaf
Summary: Early mornings are hard. Ina reminds Nadia why they don't have to be.
Relationships: Ina Leifsdottir/Nadia Rizavi, James Griffin/Ryan Kinkade
Kudos: 13





	Good Morning, Darling

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, so I'm sorry if it isn't the best, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Mornings were hard. Waking up before the sun rose to get ready for the day and open up their cafe was something Nadia had struggled with since their grand opening, and as she frowned at her alarm ringing, she tried to remember why she woke up this early in the first place. Nadia stretched as she pushed her covers away and then gingerly lifted her glasses from their place on her nightstand to put them on, a quick glance to the other side of the bed informing her that Ina was up and ready to start the day. Ina. Nadia smiled as thoughts of a delicate smile and wispy blonde hair filled her mind. Her wife was always the perfect reminder for why these early mornings were worth it.

“Good morning,” Ina chimed from the doorway leading into the bathroom, eyes alert even for the early hours, dressed in their cafe work attire of a black t-shirt with a golden logo and jeans. 

“You really should start waking up earlier, Nadia,” Ina took a step towards her wife, reaching out to smooth down her wife’s bed head.

“Ina, I’m pretty sure you’re the only morning person out of the four of us,” Nadia smiled, referring to their inseparable group of friends. James, Ryan, Nadia, and Ina had been friends since a young age-- growing up on the same street meant they not only played all sorts of pretend games together, with James taking stubborn lead, but also went through school together, where Ina shone with her intellect. Nadia knew that she was incredibly lucky to have found her lifelong friends when she was merely seven years old, Ina reaching over to help her memorize her multiplication tables, and bringing with her James with his enthusiasm and Ryan with his silent support. Although they went their separate ways for a short time in high school, they ended up attending the same university, which made their bond even stronger. Now, Ina and Nadia owned a quaint cafe across the street from James and Ryan’s bakery, allowing them to see each other almost daily. 

“Nadia,” Ina squinted at her, “You and I both know that Ryan wakes up at four in the morning to go running.”

“Ryan doesn’t count, he’s barely human,” Nadia groaned, leaning in to steal a kiss. Ina ducked her head, avoiding Nadia’s kiss and instead placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Morning breath.” Ina reminded her, nodding towards the bathroom. Nadia sent her wife a smile, one that was gladly reciprocated, and made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and put on her work uniform. 

Nadia and Ina had always been close, but it was college when they realized how they felt for each other. Nothing quite made Nadia’s heart squeeze with joy like Ina’s laughter. Of course, they had their arguments now and again, from silly things like which potted plants they wanted to purchase to bigger things like the loan they took out to open the cafe. At the end of the day though, Ina was the one constant in Nadia’s life. Her steady breathing as they drifted off to sleep, her voice of reason when Nadia felt overwhelmed, the way she smelled like sugared raspberries, and the warmth of her hands in Nadia’s-- these were all things that made Nadia feel like she had finally found where she belonged. Nadia leaned over the sink to have better access to the mirror while she put in her contacts, balancing her glasses precariously on the edge of the sink.

“Nadia, did you want the usual for breakfast?” Ina called from their kitchen and Nadia blinked in her contacts and searched for a hair tie.

“Yeah, love, that’s fine. Thank you!” Nadia called back, spotting the hair tie on the floor and exiting the bathroom. As she made her way through their bedroom and into their living room, Nadia grabbed the small metal watering can she left by the bedroom door. The two women share a love for plants, something that could be seen not only in their cafe, but also upstairs where they lived. Their living room opened up to a balcony that was separated by a sliding glass window, allowing light to fill the room and keep their plants healthy. Nadia opened the sliding door to let the fresh air in and then turned to go into the kitchen, metal watering can still in hand.

“So I was thinking,” Nadia began as she entered the kitchen, “You know Ryan’s birthday is coming up soon.”

“I remember, it’s on the calendar,” Ina took the watering can from Nadia, handing her a banana instead.

“We should throw him a party,” Nadia suggested, reaching for a knife to cut the banana with.

“Oh, you mean here? At the cafe?” Ina traced the design on the watering can with one fingertip.

Nadia nodded, setting down her knife to gesture with her hands. “We could put up streamers, have James make the cake, and take him completely by surprise!”

“I don’t see why we couldn’t, we have more than enough space for all the people we could invite,” Ina agreed, a soft smile curving on her lips. Ina and Ryan had always had a close bond. Their houses were directly next to each other in the neighborhood when they were younger, and their tendencies to be more level headed kept them coming to each other for advice when their spouses acted sporadic. Nadia slipped the cut up bananas into her cereal and took a bite and Ina turned to the sink to fill the watering can.

“By the way, his present shipped out yesterday, so it should be here by tonight,” Ina informed Nadia. The two women had decided to buy Ryan a more expensive microphone, as they knew he was always filming something or another in the bakery, whether it was for advertisement or to show viewers how to make bread, Ryan and James had gained quite a following on social media platforms.

“That’s great! I can’t wait to see his face when he opens it!” Nadia exclaimed. Ina nodded in agreement, turning off the tap and setting the can on the countertop.

“I’m sure he’ll love it!” Ina agreed. “If you don’t mind opening up today, I can feed the cats and water the plants.” 

“That’s fine with me!” Nadia finished her cereal and placed the bowl in the sink. They’d had their cats for almost a year, Ari and Dante, and Nadia can remember the excitement Ina oozed when they first went to the shelter, spilling with as many cat facts as she could remember. Nadia watched Ina scratch Ari’s chin as she headed down the stairs to the cafe.

Nadia flipped on the lights to reveal the cafe, their pride and joy. Ina and Nadia had poured their heart and soul into the small, but very open, area to make it feel like home. With warm colored wooden chairs, large windows, and a succulent on every table, Nadia couldn’t help but feel proud of what they had done with the previously abandoned storefront. Nadia first unlocked the cafe door, then slipped on an apron and stepped behind the counter to pull out ingredients for drinks. 

“Good morning, Nads!” Nadia turned to see James and Ryan entering the cafe, a large brown bag in Ryan’s hands.

“Good morning, James! I see you and Ryan have my pastries?” She tilted her head at the two men, watching the approach the counter.

“Oh, we bring them late one day and we never hear the end of it!” James rolled his eyes with a grin on his face, leaning across the counter to snag a plastic cup and fill it with lemonade.

“I was relying on you to be on time!” Nadia tried to keep an exasperated tone of voice, but it was hard to stay serious with James’ teasing.

“Are we still on for that video tomorrow?” Ryan asked, placing the brown bag on the counter and then taking James’ cup to sip from his lemonade. Ryan had agreed to make an advertising video for the Flying Tomato Cafe, something Nadia was more than grateful for.

“Yes! Thank you so much for doing that again Ryan,” Nadia picked up the brown bag and took out the tongs to put the pastries in their clear display case.

“It’s not a problem at all, you know that,” Ryan gave Nadia one of his soft smiles, handing a pouty James his lemonade back. Ryan may have the build of a warrior, but he prefered a gentle approach to life, different from James, his hot-headed, stubborn fiance.

“Good morning boys,” Ina’s voice made Ryan and James turn towards the stairs.

“Ina,” Ryan’s smile grew, and he intercepted her with a hug. “I love the new earrings,” he gently touched one of Ina’s sunflower earrings with a finger.

“Ryan, you’re too sweet,” Ina leaned into her friend’s touch and gave him a smile.

James leaned towards Nadia conspirationally, setting his lemonade on the counter. “Sometimes I think they love each other more than they love us.” He stage whispered, making sure he was loud enough for his fiance to hear him.

“James, you know that’s not true, and it’s not exactly like you have any new earrings for me to compliment,” Ryan turned towards the other man, brown eyes twinkling.

“Maybe I do have new earrings, and you just didn’t notice!” James huffed, his annoyance clearly not genuine. Ina stepped behind the counter, hands fluttering to Nadia’s waist and placing her chin on the other woman’s shoulder. Nadia tilted her head back to bump Ina’s gently, basking in the affection.

“Don’t you two have somewhere to be?” Ina interrupted the playful argument between the two men on the other side of the counter, alluding to the bakery that was meant to open within the next fifteen minutes.

“Actually Ina--” James began, seeming as though he had an argument to make, “...Yes, we do.” He conceded.

“See you guys at lunch?” Ryan asked, taking James’ hand and turning towards the door of the cafe.

“See you at lunch.” Nadia confirmed, still folded in the warmth of her wife’s arms.

Watching her two best friends’ retreating backs, in the arms of the love of her life, and ready to start a new day working in a place she built from the bottom up, Nadia knew that nothing would ever compare to how lucky she really is to be here, to be home.


End file.
